IN THAT DAY THERE SHALL BE A FOUNTAIN OPENED - Zechariah often repeats, “in that day” Zechariah 12:3, Zechariah 12:6, Zechariah 12:8, Zechariah 12:11; Zechariah 13:1, Zechariah 13:4; Zechariah 14:6, Zechariah 14:8,... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL CUT OFF THE NAMES OF THE IDOLS - This had been a fence against idolatry. To name evil is a temptation to evil. Wrong words are the parents of wrong acts. To speak of evil awakens curiosity or passion; curiosity is one of the strongest incentives to act. All public mention of terrible crimes ... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS FATHER AND MOTHER THAT BEGAT HIM SHALL SAY UNTO HIM, THOU SHALT NOT LIVE - The prophet describes the zeal against false prophecy, with reference to the law against those who seduced to apostasy from God. Deuteronomy 13:6 : “the nearest relations were themselves to denounce any who had secretly t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROPHETS SHALL BE ASHAMED, EVERY ONE OF THEM - They who before their conversion, gave themselves to such deceits, shall be ashamed of their deeds; as, after the defeat of the seven sons of the chief priest Sceva, “fear fall on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified, and many that... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL SAY - Repudiating his former claims, “I am a husbandman:” for a man hath taught me from my youth.” There was no room then for his having been a false prophet, since he had had from his youth one simple unlettered occupation, as Amos said truly of himself; “I was no prophet, neither was... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ONE SHALL SAY UNTO HIM, WHAT ARE THOSE WOUNDS IN THY HANDS? - The words are simple; the meaning different , according as they are united with what immediately precedes, or the main subject, Him whom they pierced, for whom they were to mourn, and, on their mourning, to be cleansed, and of whom it... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAKE, O SWORD - So Jeremiah apostrophises the sword, “O thou sword of the Lord, when wilt thou be quiet?” Jeremiah 47:6. The prophets express what “will be,” by a command that it should be; “Make the heart of this people heavy” Isaiah 6:10. But by this command he signifies that human malice, acting... [ Continue Reading ]
IN ALL THE LAND, TWO PARTS THEREIN SHALL BE CUT OFF AND DIE - “In all the land of Israel,” says a Jewish interpreter; (Kimchi); “ - the land, in which the Good Shepherd had been slain and the sheep scattered, “that upon you.” our Lord had said, “may come all the righteous blood.” As David punished M... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL BRING THE THIRD PART THROUGH THE FIRE - Such is always God’s ways. “Thou hast proved us, O God; Thou hast tried us, like as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the snare, Thou laidest trouble upon our loins: we went through fire and water, and Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place”... [ Continue Reading ]